No I can't say I have tried that. At first thought, it seems like it would kill the action of the first bead and make it drag the bottom more than you would want. I don't really like the dropper because of this either, it pulls on the first bead in funny ways that gives it an unnatural look. In small water with good vis where I know I am getting my stuff in front of the fish, I will fish the single bead. In bigger water with some color or really generic terrain, I usually go with the double rig as described previously as it searches a bit better I think.

A "big" bead for steelhead is 12mil. Small is 8mil.
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I am still not a cop.

EZ Thread Yarn Balls

"I don't care how you catch them, as long as you treat them well and with respect." Lani Waller in "A Steelheader's Way."